MV EVER GIVEN is officially confiscated over operator's unwillingness to pay $900M compensation: Suez Canal chairman

CAIRO – 13 April 2021: Chairman of Suez Canal Osama Rabie told Youm7 Tuesday that MV EVER GIVEN container ship has been officially confiscated as the operating company is unwilling to pay the compensation worth $900 million.

The compensation would make up for the losses the international waterway sustained and the costs it incurred to refloat the vessel after its stranding for six days starting March 23.

After it was freed on March 29, the ship was escorted to the Bitter Lakes for technical inspection, crew interrogation, and black box analysis.

The Suez Canal chairman stated that the outcome of the investigation will be released on April 15.

Chairman of Suez Canal Osama Rabie stated Sunday that 61 percent of oil tankers' traffic passes through Egypt's international waterway.

Yet, Rabie added that container ships and bulk carriers still compose the majority of vessels crossing Suez Canal pointing out that the incentives offered by the authority in 2020 resulted in a rise of eight percent in vessels using the canal in spite of COVID-19.

The official highlighted that around 18,000 ships cross the Suez Canal every year, and that the authority has 17,000 workers.

Rabie noted that the authority is acquiring tugboats whose capacity is between 250 and 300 tons. The first of those was received on April 9, while another will be delivered in August. Their height is 147.5 meters, and they can dig to a depth of up to 35 meters.

The dredger delivered Friday is dubbed "Mohab Mamish," and that to arrive in summer is called "Hussein Tantawy."

The dredgers' purchase is part of a plan to develop the authority by 2026. That includes developing the maritime fleet, including dredgers, tugboats, and boats used to transport guides. 

The chairman had indicated Thursday that the number of ships that cross the Suez Canal daily is 85 and that 84 crossed over the previous 24 hours carrying the heaviest load since the waterway was launched in 1869 as it weights 6.1 million tons.

Rabie also pointed out that 422 ships had crossed when MV EVER GIVEN was still stuck. Those were waiting in Port Said, Suez, and Bitter Lakes. In that context, he affirmed that the accident has nothing to do with the depth as it occurred in the deepest spot of the canal. The official added that all the tugboats used in refloating the container ship are Egyptian, except for one that was rented from the Netherlands.